The figures, published for the first time after the League struck a deal with the Football Association over the regulation of agents, reveal that Manchester City were the biggest spenders, paying out almost £13 million to middlemen during their £173 million transfer spree in 2009.
Chelsea were ranked second, spending £9.6 million despite relatively modest spending in 2009. The bulk of the fees are understood to relate to fees payable on contract renegotiations.
Burnley spent the least of any Premier League club, paying slightly more than £468,000 to agents. However, the figures for them, Birmingham and Wolves include fees paid before they were promoted from the Championship.
The £70,692,513 overall spend covers the period from Oct 1, 2008, to Sept 30, 2009, and includes the 2009 January and summer transfer windows.
The figures include all money paid to agents during that period, and cover payments paid to clubs for the acquisition and sale of players, the renegotiation of contracts, fees paid to agents to arrange the disposal of players, as well payments made by clubs to agents on behalf of players. It also includes instalment payments made during the year on previous transactions, but future fees committed to in the last year are not included.
The scale of the spending, which covers 803 transactions and represents around 3.5 per cent of total Premier League turnover of around £2 billion, is likely to reawaken debate over the role and cost of agents in the game.
The Premier League has previously resisted publishing any details of its club’s spending on agents, but agreed to reveal the figures as a result of negotiations with the Football Association over the regulation of agents.
The League successfully lobbied the FA to relax rules banning clubs from paying agents on a players’ behalf, and a regulation preventing agents from working for more than one party in a transaction, and agreed to greater transparency over the total fees as a concession.
The £70,692,513 total represents slightly more than 10 per cent of the clubs’ total spending on player purchases of £682.3 million in the January and summer windows, and around six per cent of total transfer turnover during the period of nearly £1.3 billion.
The identity of the biggest spenders comes as no surprise. Manchester City’s fees to agents, which cover 35 transactions at an average of £360,000, is understood to include the fee paid to Robinho’s agent for his British record £32.5 million transfer. It will also include payments made to Kia Joorabchian for the estimated £25 million transfer of Carlos Tévez, and agents including Pini Zahavi for the purchase of Joleon Lescott (£22 million), Emmanuel Adebayor (£25 million) and Gareth Barry (£12 million).
City’s chief financial officer, Graham Wallace, said: “Squad building at this level and within such a short time frame is unlikely to be repeated. The total amount falls well within our annual budget and operating plan as approved by our board.”
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who incurred fees for Spurs of £6 million in spending £76 million on players this year, described the figures as “crazy”.
“It’s incredible when I see some of the figures, just amazing. Obviously people have made an awful lot of money out of being football agents over the last few years.
“I think they should reveal the fees. They should ask questions and look at it and say, 'why have they been paid that much for doing this deal’.
“Why shouldn’t it be out in the open if they are paying people crazy money?”
Manchester City £12,874,283
Chelsea £9,562,223
Liverpool £6,657,305
Tottenham Hotspur £6,066,935
Wigan Athletic £5,527,548
Arsenal £4,760,241
West Ham United £3,576,972
Portsmouth £3,184,725
Bolton Wanderers £3,166,611
Everton £2,008,407
Sunderland £2,007,040
Aston Villa £1,708,374
Hull City £1,599,188
Manchester United £1,517,393
Blackburn Rovers £1,610,885
Fulham £1,469,258
Wolverhampton £1,235,703
Birmingham City £974,982
Stoke City £716,042
Burnley £468,398
Total: £70,692,513 (across 803 transactions)
[b]Explaining the figures...
The figures regard payments to agents for the period October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.
They are inclusive of:
Fees paid to agents by Clubs in respect of acquiring and/or renegotiating Player Registrations.
Fees paid to agents by Clubs on behalf of players in respect of acquiring and/or renegotiating Player Registrations.
Fees paid to agents during the defined period relating to previous transaction costs (i.e. Player Registrations prior to 1 October 2008) that have been amortised over the length of a Player Contract.
Fees paid to agents by Clubs to facilitate the outward transfer of Player Registrations.
Player Registrations (transactions) include:
Domestic permanent transfers.
International permanent transfers.
Domestic temporary transfers (loans).
International temporary transfers (loans).
Extension of existing Player Contracts.
First professional registration.
Free transfers.
[youtube]6Kx-TB4BThU[/youtube]
Le Crock shoots mouth off again instead of getting fit
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 43,00.html
Mark Hughes insists he has no reservations over selecting Emmanuel Adebayor for Manchester City's Carling Cup quarter-final tie against Arsenal on Wednesday, despite the furore caused by the striker's last appearance against his former club.
The Manchester City forward is set to face Arsenal for the first time since earning a three-match ban and a £25,000 fine for stamping on the face of Robin Van Persie and taunting the visiting supporters with an inflammatory goal celebration during City's 4-2 victory at Eastlands in September. Although he has since admitted his regret for his actions, Adebayor has claimed that the goal celebration, when he ran the length of the pitch before sliding to his knees in front of the Arsenal supporters, was a result of insulting comments and chants from the visiting fans. Tevez's tennis falls flat Van Persie's ankle injury, which is likely to keep the Dutch international sidelined for up to five months, ensures at least that he and Adebayor will not clash on the pitch tomorrow.
Hughes said: "It was an emotional time and it [Adebayor's behaviour against Arsenal] has been well documented. I don't think it will happen again. But there is no feeling on my part that he won't play as a consequence of what happened last time. In fact, he's more likely to play because he had such a huge influence on that match." Hughes also confirmed he is set to field a full-strength team against Arsène Wenger's youngsters.
The best footballers to have never played in the World Cup - Nos 40-31
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... l?ITO=1490
Jose Mourinho would appear to be on special offer. Available at the right price and ready for delivery to England this summer
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z0YQAOohR8
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure is seeking a move to Manchester United or Chelsea after being omitted from the line-up to face Real Madrid on Sunday. Daily Mirror
Tottenham are planning a £10m bid for Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia. The 21-year-old is tipped to play alongside Chelsea's Didier Drogba at the 2010 World Cup finals. Daily Mirror
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish wants to spend his January transfer kitty on strikers, with Serbian duo Nikola Zigic and Milan Jovanovic his main targets. Daily Mirror
Roma are favourites to sign Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko in January. Daily Mirror
Forward Mark Viduka, who was released by Newcastle last season, is set to abandon his retirement plans by signing for new Australian side Melbourne Heart.The Sun
WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... sie-sumner
Barnsley will give fans a free coach ride to the rearranged Championship clash at Plymouth after heavy rain caused Saturday's match to be abandoned, with the Tykes 4-1 up. (The Sun)
Fifa will decide on Wednesday how to punish France striker Thierry Henry over his controversial handball against the Republic of Ireland. Fifa's executive committee will consider sanctions. The Guardian
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant fears his club will need a miracle to survive in the Premier League this season. The Sun
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has admitted the club is in "big trouble" but is backing the Merseysiders to pull clear of the relegation fight. (Various)
West Ham want to build a new training ground at Rush Green. They have applied to Havering Council for planning permission after buying the 29-acre site two miles from their Chadwell Heath complex. (Various)
